The text
Sec. 14-1. - Time and notice of election and vacancy in office.#
(a)
Any vacancy in the office of mayor or any councilmember shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term at the next regular election or at a special election if the vacancy occurs 180 days or more prior to the next general election. If the vacancy occurs less than 180 days prior to the next general election, that office shall remain unfilled until the election.
(b)
Municipal general elections shall be held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November in odd-numbered years. Special elections shall be set for the 13th Tuesday after the vacancy occurs. If the date for the special election falls on a state holiday, it shall be set for the next succeeding Tuesday. For purposes of this section, the term "state holiday" does not mean the general election day.
(c)
If a vacancy occurs in more than one office requiring separate special elections to be held within a period of 28 days, the election commission shall conduct all of the elections on the same date. The special elections shall be held on the latest date required for an election during the 28-day period.
(d)
Public notice of the elections shall be given at least 60 days prior to the elections.
(e)
Polling places shall be located and open as required by law.
(Code 1995, § 1.12.010; Code 2006, § 34.01; Ord. of 3-16-1995; Ord. No. 4-00, 4-6-2000; Ord. No. 08-03, 6-19-2003)
Sec. 14-2. - Election commission.#
(a)
The council shall appoint an election commission composed of three members, which shall have the powers, functions and duties as prescribed by law.
(b)
Commission appointees shall serve for a term of six years, provided that initial appointments shall be made in a manner to provide for staggered terms and in accordance with state law.
(Code 1995, § 1.12.020; Code 2006, § 34.02)
State Law reference— Election commission, S.C. Code 1976, § 5-15-90.
Sec. 14-3. - Nonpartisan elections; procedures.#
(a)
Regular and special elections. All regular and special elections for the offices of mayor and councilmembers shall be nonpartisan.
(b)
Statement of candidacy.
(1)
Requirements.
a.
An individual desiring to be a candidate in a municipal election shall do the following:
1.
File with the municipal election commission, or file with a person designated in writing as being an authorized agent of the municipal election commission, a statement of candidacy identifying the office for which they desire to run;
2.
Pay the filing fee. The filing fee for the office of mayor is $30.00, and the filing fee for the office of a councilmember is $20.00;
3.
Comply with S.C. Code 1976, § 8-13-1356 related to the filing of a statement of economic interest. For purposes of this section, the terms "statement of candidacy," as referred to herein, and "declaration of candidacy," as referred to in S.C. Code 1976, § 8-13-1356, are one and the same.
b.
No statement of candidacy shall be filed if the filing fee is not attached thereto.
c.
No statement of candidacy shall be filed if S.C. Code 1976, § 8-13-1356 is not complied with.
d.
The statement of candidacy shall be on forms furnished by the election commission and shall be in substantially the following format:
I, ___________, hereby state that I am a candidate for election to the office of ___________, in the Town of Ridgeland general/special election to be held on ___________. I certify that I am a qualified elector and a resident of the Town of Ridgeland. Signed this _____ day of ___, in the year ___.
___________
Witness
___________
Candidate
Voter Registration No.
I, ___________, a member of the Town of Ridgeland election commission, or an authorized agent of the commission, certify that _____ has met the requirements to file the statement of candidacy and the same has been accepted for filing this _____ day of _____ in the year ___.
___________
For the Town of Ridgeland
Election Commission
(2)
Filing period for general election. In a municipal general election, the filing period in which the statement of candidacy must be filed shall commence at 12:00 noon on the 75th day before the date of the municipal general election and shall end at 12:00 noon on the 60th day before the date of the municipal general election.
(3)
Filing period for special election. In a municipal special election, the filing period in which the statement of candidacy must be filed shall commence at 12:00 noon on the third Friday after the vacancy occurs for a period to close ten days later at 12:00 noon.
(4)
Holidays. If a filing period closes on a state holiday, then filing must be held open through the succeeding weekday. If the date for an election falls on a state holiday, it must be set for the succeeding weekday. For purposes of this section, the term "state holiday" does not mean the general election day.
(c)
Method of determining election results. Election results shall be determined by the nonpartisan plurality method.
(Code 1995, § 1.12.030; Code 2006, § 34.03; Ord. of 3-16-1995; Ord. No. 09-03, 6-19-2003)
Sec. 14-4. - Listing candidates on ballot.#
All candidates for office shall be listed in alphabetical order under the names of the office being sought. The name of a candidate authorized by law to appear on a ballot in a general, special or primary election for any office may be one of the following or a combination thereof: (1)
The candidate's given name;
(2)
A derivative of the candidate's given name properly acquired under the common law and used in good faith for honest purposes;
(3)
A nickname which bears no relation to the candidate's given name but which is used in good faith for honest purposes and does not exceed 15 letters on the ballot;
(4)
A candidate wanting to use a derivative or a nickname must comply with the provisions of S.C. Code 1976, § 7-13-325.
(Code 1995, § 1.12.040; Code 2006, § 34.04; Ord. No. 07-2001, 9-6-2001)
Sec. 14-5. - Results of elections.#
The managers of the municipal elections shall officially certify the results of the election to the municipal election commission on the day following the election. The municipal election commission shall officially declare the results of the election within 72 hours following the close of the election. The declaration shall be made to the council who shall officially notify the candidates of the results.
(Code 1995, § 1.12.050; Code 2006, § 34.05)
Sec. 14-6. - Safeguarding ballots.#
(a)
After any municipal election has been conducted and the official ballots have been duly counted and tabulated, the municipal election commission shall place the ballots into envelopes which shall be placed into ballot boxes. The ballot boxes containing the ballots shall be locked and placed in the town safe or other equally secure place. The keys to the ballot box shall be placed in the custody of the chairperson of the election commission or a member of the commission designated by the chairperson. The ballots shall be left undisturbed in the town safe or other place unless the municipal election commission shall order the ballots released for the purpose of a contested election or for conducting a recount of ballots as authorized by state law. After the proceedings of a contested election shall have been completed or adjourned for the day, the ballots shall be redeposited in the town safe or other equally secure place according to the procedure described above.
(b)
If no appeals are made or no contests filed, the municipal election commission shall order, in writing, the ballots destroyed at the end of the third week following the date of the elections; provided that no ballots shall be destroyed until all appeals before the council or the courts have been finally decided.
(Code 1995, § 1.12.060; Code 2006, § 34.06)
Sec. 14-7. - Time of taking office.#
Newly-elected councilmembers and the mayor shall take office at the first regular meeting of the town council in January, following their election and qualification pursuant to state law.
(Code 1995, § 1.12.070; Code 2006, § 34.07; Ord. of 3-16-1995; Ord. of 8-3-1989)